Charlotte Mason Homeschool
I wonder if in her time, Charlotte Mason had even an inkling that her work would pave the way, inspire, and teach millions of homeschool (and not homeschool) families across the world for years to come?
I had heard of Charlotte Mason over the years as I was learning and delving into different types of homeschooling. Initially I thought I would go the route of finding different box curriculums, then I considered unschooling, then I found a classical preschool curriculum that I fell in love with. But even then, I still felt like I was searching for something. It wasn’t until I stumbled upon a Charlotte Mason inspired blog over the summer that I became not just intrigued but HAD to learn more. That led me to You Tube which led me to a few select channels, particularly The Common Place with Autumn Kern, that just hit the right spot.. and that was it… I was forever changed by Miss Mason.
Over my course of education and work as an SLP, I gained immense helpful knowledge about child development. But at the same time, I always felt like something was missing, and I just could not put my finger on what it was.. until I met Charlotte Mason.
As I began to read Home Education and started down a journey of learning Charlotte Mason’s methods and principles, I realized that she held the missing information I was looking for. She connected child development with the much deeper purpose of a child as living persons. She did not separate children in pieces in parts, but rather considered them as whole persons, and thus, connected their education and development with their natural life, given purpose, and soul.
It was here that I found not only fulfillment in answers that I was looking for but there was more. I found knowledge and wisdom that connected not just a child’s education, but my purpose as a mother and the immense value that it holds. This goes beyond my purpose in my home and the service to my family, but my purpose as a person myself. And that just as my children are living persons who are learning to order their lives toward God and in the world and to seek what is good, true, and beautiful, that is also my purpose as well. It has taught me more about myself in a very little amount of time than I could have hoped to ever find.
Charlotte Mason’s method has become more than just an educational model for my family, it has become a lifestyle that is helping to lead us down the path and filling in tangible pieces of knowledge that help to widen our understandings and to reclaim the childhood that we, as parents, missed out on as well. It has helped to point us toward the slower life and seek truth, goodness, and beauty in all that we do and to make the connections between faith and life.
So what is it about Miss Mason that draws us in? For starters, her philosophies and the way she teaches about children. It is about as contradictory to modern viewpoints of children as you will get and I believe it is exactly what is needed to combat the negative viewpoint that has become prominent within modern society. In addition to that, she encourages the use of living literature, habit formation, nature study, plenty of outdoor play, and handicraft work for children, all of which is encompassed in to their personhood.
My encouragement for you, is that even if you are not a homeschooling parent, pick up a copy of Charlotte Mason’s Home Education ( or any other book in her series) and take a little time to read and learn. I promise, you won’t regret it. But fair warning, you will likely be forever changed.
Stay Encouraged,
Alycia